Zero's Wavering Heart
by eyes-of-azure
Summary: When an unexpected night occurs between Lelouch and C.C., Lelouch is torn and confused about his feelings towards the green-haired witch.
1. A Swell of Emotions

**A Swell of Emotions**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the anime Code Geass nor any of its characters. **

A deep sigh permeated through the still air of the suite. Lelouch sat with his head leaned back against the dark, burgundy sofa – his eyes fixed on the ceiling. The suite was rather large in both size and grandeur. It consisted of three rooms: a living room, and of course the bedroom and bath – complete with elegant Chinese style furnishings. It was Zero's second day in the Chinese Federation and everything seemed to have gone according to plan – except for one minor ordeal…

Lelouch closed his eyes and rubbed his forehead. He couldn't make sense of what had happened last night.

"_Damn those Chinese drinks and all their potency." _Lelouch complained to himself.

He was sure he had been drugged – one of those herbs that made one's hormones excited to the point where one's actions could not be controlled. What were they thinking last night? It all happened so fast…their clothes strewn on the floor, the passionate way their lips locked together, how their sweating bodies molded into one another. Lelouch shook off the thought. He tried to convince himself that it was all the potion's doing – that it was just a crazy, insane turn of events, but his efforts failed miserably. He couldn't help but remember the ecstasy he felt last night. The way her lips brushed against his neck, how he tangled his hands through her luscious green hair – his body trembled with pleasure for just a moment. He knew that what they did was out of a fit of passion, but he couldn't help but notice just how _right_ it felt. How her body molded so perfectly with his own.

And it wasn't just the physical side that made them compatible, he noted, there was something about her that made him feel…he couldn't think of a decent term to describe it. The way their words played off of each other so melodiously, the way they mocked and teased each other. How she was always there for him, the only one who never abandoned or betrayed him. He scoffed with a sudden effort. Why was he even pondering such trivial thoughts? He had more important matters to deal with, such as the Chinese Federation and his goal to crush Britannia. He didn't have time for this, but his mind wandered against his will.

His brow furrowed with a troubled expression and he became uneasy. C.C. was still in the bedroom, lying on the bed eating pizza. It was already late evening and she hadn't even mentioned anything about last night. She acted as normal as ever whereas he was trembling with a swell of mixed emotions. What was wrong with him? Of course she didn't feel _that way_ for him. She was an immortal witch who locked her heart away ages ago. He was a fool to think that he had the power to unlock it.

He banged the arm of the sofa with his fist. He tried to suppress his emotions, but his efforts were futile. He began to reminisce about his past feelings towards the witch. When he first laid eyes on her, he obviously registered the fact that she was as beautiful as any goddess. When she forced herself into his room, claimed the bed for her own, and littered the room with pizza, Lelouch was annoyed to say the least. He found her troublesome, but learned to accept her odd habits. As time passed, he could feel that they were growing closer. She wasn't so distant and cold, but acted as a true friend. All of the hardships that he suffered, C.C. was always there to comfort him. She was the only one he could confide in. They were accomplices after all. He found it comforting that there was at least one person he didn't have to wear a mask in front of. He had always felt a certain chemistry between them and he knew that C.C. must have felt it too, but he would always toss that thought to the side since he had more immediate matters to deal with. But she was different from all of the other girls he knew. She was mysterious and intelligent as well. She was unique in every sense of the term.

Lelouch stood up from his position on the sofa and began to pace back and forth the length of the living room. He always felt a connection with the green-haired beauty, but he never truly realized it. He knew that last night wasn't _entirely_ the potion's doing. There was a part of him that wanted her – that wanted to hold her, comfort her, to be one with her. He stopped pacing and clenched his fist. He glanced towards the bedroom with a look of longing and then immediately turned away. He was a fool to think she could ever love _him_. Yes, she cared – but could she ever _love _him?

The man named Zero stood up straight and did what he had always done – locked the thought away entirely. He was Zero, the man who would bring Britannnia to its knees – not a crazed love-struck boy.

--------------------------------------------------------

Please review! Since I'm back in school I might not update anytime soon, but I'm planning on continuing this story so please check back!


	2. Music Reaches the Colors of the Soul

**Music Reaches the Colors of the Soul**

**Disclaimer: Once again, I do not own Code Geass nor any of its characters.**

**Note to Readers: Thank you so much for all of your wonderful reviews! They really mean a lot to me so thank you!**

**Note about Chapter: This chapter occurs after the negotiations with Xing-ke and the Chinese Federation have been settled and their battle and everything is over. This chapter takes place during the Black Knights trip back to Area 11…er, I mean Japan.**

**Another important note: Lelouch has no feelings for Kallen whatsoever in my story, he's just worried about her as a friend, nothing more. This is purely a Lelouch x C.C. fanfic.**

Zero walked at a brisk pace down the long hallway towards his private room of the airship. It had been over a week since the "incident" and everything seemed normal enough. He promised himself he would keep the witch out of his thoughts, and he did – for the most part. Upon entering the room, he saw the slender figure of C.C. huddled on the couch with Cheese-kun – her finger mindlessly stirring a glass of water on the coffee-table. She looked up at him and the hint of a smile could be seen on her otherwise indifferent face.

"Congratulations on your victory…Lelouch." C.C. remarked.

"It wasn't easy." The masked prince replied. He pulled off his mask and placed it in its holder, being careful not to scratch or drop his most valued belonging. He wandered towards the closet and hung up his cape – not bothering to look in the witch's direction. He then made his way towards the control panel, complete with computers and an assortment of buttons and equipment, and sat down. He tapped his fingers against the arm of his chair with restless uneasiness.

C.C. sat up from her position on the couch – noting Lelouch's troubled expression. "You're worried about Kallen, aren't you?"

"What's it to you?" He snapped at her. He immediately regretted the harshness of his tone, and made an effort to lower his voice. "I couldn't save her. This happens every time." He forced himself to maintain his composure. "We'll get her back in due time. It's pointless to worry about it now."

A short silence permeated throughout the room. Lelouch leaned back in his chair and sighed. He knew Kallen would be safe for now which gave him time to think of a plan, so he decided to put the thought behind him entirely.

He swiveled his chair just a tad and glanced at the witch for the first time. She was wearing one of Lelouch's shirts that was only partly buttoned. Her legs were completely exposed and he immediately noticed that she wasn't wearing any pants, just pink underwear with a satin lace trimming…he turned away, slightly irritated that he looked at her. A shivering sensation rippled throughout Lelouch's entire body. His breath drew short and his hands trembled. Just one glance and she had him, and she knew it too. Lelouch brushed off the feeling with a forced effort.

"_She's doing it on purpose just to make me lose my nerve. She knows she has the upper-hand now and is exploiting every bit of her power. She truly _is _a witch."_

C.C. smirked at Lelouch's struggle to gain control of himself and then opened her mouth to speak. "I'm bored, Lelouch. Let's play a game." She said in a mocking tone with a hint of playfulness.

"So now you want me to entertain you?" Lelouch replied sarcastically.

She ignored his comment and continued, "I'll ask a question and we'll both have to answer it and vice versa. It's quite simple really, quite harmless."

Lelouch couldn't help but notice her captivating eyes of gold, staring straight into his own. She was teasing him, exerting her power over him. He would not be bested by this witch.

The prince scoffed with a look of confidence and made his way to an arm-chair adjacent to where C.C. sat. "I accept your challenge".

C.C. leaned back against the couch and looked across the room, not meeting Lelouch's gaze. She said with complete indifference, "What's your favorite color?"

"Are you serious?"

"I'm asking you a question. Now answer it."

"Blue.", he stated with suspicion.

"Blue?" The green haired beauty said with wonder, "And I was sure you were going to say purple…Why blue?"

Ignoring the obvious "purple" comment, Lelouch replied, "There are so many shades and tints that can represent so many different aspects of a personality. One minute, blue could be light and carefree and then immediately turn on you and become a dark mystery of deceit." He glanced at C.C., "Now it's your turn."

"Yellow."

"Not green?" He remarked with sarcasm. He wasn't going to let her off that easily.

"It's not as respected as the other colors. It is the hardest to see and one of the least appreciated. It could just disappear without anyone noticing or caring."

Lelouch pondered C.C.'s answer before asking his own question. "Are you musically talented?"

"Quite so. I can play the harp to say the least." She laid face down on the couch, her two feet swinging back and forth in the air. She looked up and her piercing eyes met his own. "You?"

Lelouch eyed C.C. with a look of contempt. First she acted as if nothing happened, and now she was mocking him and playing with his nerves. He wasn't sure how much more he could take, but he couldn't lose to this demon girl.

"I have the ability to play the piano." He stated with a mark of confidence – it was a mask, a complete mask.

"I've never heard you play. Why don't you play a tune for me?"

"With what? It's not like I have a piano on this airship."

C.C. pointed with her foot towards the corner of the room. There was a mahogany piano with Chinese embellishments, complete with dragons. Lelouch shot a glance at C.C. that read _"what did you do?" _C.C. read his face in an instant.

"It wasn't me. Xing-ke gave it as a gift for risking your life for Empress Tianzi and to seal the friendship between the United States of Japan and the Chinese Federation. He said it was an antique of incredible value." C.C. shrugged her shoulders.

Lelouch walked over to the marvelous masterpiece of a piano and ran his fingers along the smooth wood. He lightly placed his hand on the keys and played a quick and short series of notes. He then sat down with his hands in his lap. He hadn't played the piano in years. Ever since he was exiled from Britannia, he refused to play the wondrous instrument which reminded him of so many memories of his past that he wished to forget. He thought of his mother, the one who had taught him everything he knew about the piano and his heart felt as heavy as lead. He lifted his fingers and began to play a heartfelt tune. The most beautiful and melodious notes could be heard throughout every corner of the airship. Everyone stopped their duties to listen to the mysterious music that was playing. Lelouch closed his eyes and a surge of feelings rushed through him. He felt elated, joyous, content, peaceful - and yet at the same time he felt sorrow, pain, and grief. These feelings encompassed him and he was lost in another realm where only he existed.

His world was intruded upon by a light touch on his shoulder. Lelouch opened his eyes – he was back in his room and he could feel warmth running through his shoulder. C.C. let her hand fall and sat beside Lelouch. She did not look at him, only staring at the keys before her. She started to play. It was a soft and light tune, simple yet refined. Lelouch glanced at the girl beside him and his heart began to race. They sat so close to each other that their shoulders almost touched. Lelouch stared at the light and nimble fingers of the witch and studied her movements. He picked up his own hands and played an accompaniment that matched her own, but with added embellishments. C.C. smiled – her first genuine smile in a long time. She leaned in closer to Lelouch so that their shoulders touched. A shock ran through the prince's body. A small smile spread across his face. This moment in time was the most perfect he had ever known. No words were exchanged. Their eyes followed their fingers on the piano, with a soft melody drifting throughout the room, their shoulders touching, both of them smiling, and their souls perfectly in tune with each other. Lelouch wished that there was no such thing as tomorrow, so that this moment of bliss would last forever.

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x

Thanks again to all of my readers! Hopefully I'll be able to update soon like I did for this chapter, but again I make no promises. But please check back!

And if you didn't read the note at the top, Lelouch has absolutely NO feelings for Kallen whatsoever. He worries about her as a friend and he feels guilty for not being able to save her. That is all. This is purely Lelouch x C.C. I only added it to give the chapter a sense of realism because that is probably how Lelouch would react.

Please review!

x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x


	3. Path of the Zero Requiem

**Path of the Zero Requiem**

**Disclaimer****: I do not own Code Geass nor any of its characters.**

**Note to Readers****: It's finally up! I am so sorry this took over a year. I know I have no excuses except the fact that I abandoned this story for a while. Thankfully re-watching Code Geass has sparked my interest for this story again. Once again, I am very very sorry for making you wait this long. **

**Note about Chapter****: This chapter takes place during the month that Zero has disappeared and is considered by the masses to be dead. This takes place after Lelouch killed his parents, er…I mean indirectly killed them, and before Lelouch establishes himself as Emperor.**

**Important Note:** **Just to make things clear, Zero's Wavering Heart is a compilation of one shots put together, so to speak. My fanfics are placed into different time slots of Code Geass where I think are appropriate times for further developing the Lelouch x C.C. relationship.**

* * *

"Will you join me, Suzaku? Will you sacrifice everything for the world that Euphemia always dreamed of?"

Lelouch's burdened amethyst eyes gazed into that of Suzaku's own heavy emerald ones. Suzaku gazed back with a hardened, blank stare.

"Well?" Lelouch narrowed his eyes at his betrayer.

"I have nothing left to sacrifice." Suzaku answered firmly. "Even if you are my sworn enemy, the means no longer matter. It is the results that I am seeking."

"Very well then, Suzaku Kururugi. Your fate, as well as mine, has been sealed. From this moment forward you shall be the Knight of Zero."

Suzaku kneeled down before his highness and swore with all his heart, "Yes, your majesty."

C.C. glanced away and said in an indifferent voice, "So this is it then, isn't it?"

Lelouch turned his eyes to her for a moment. Though her voice was solid, Lelouch knew otherwise. His heart, already burdened as it was, grew heavier if only slightly. After the Zero Requiem she would be left all alone again – forever doomed to face the never-ending hands of time. He was abandoning her. There was no escaping that fact.

Lelouch scoffed, looking straight ahead with a fiery look of ambition and said with complete confidence and a hint of sadness, "Yes, this is the end."

* * *

The hotel room door opened as Lelouch and C.C. walked in. The two of them were dressed in common clothing – with Lelouch wearing a ball-cap as an extra precaution. As he locked the door behind him he immediately flung off the accessory onto the nearest bed and ran his hand through his hair. C.C immediately made her way to the further bed and lied down with her arms folded under her chin and her legs swinging in the air. Lelouch slowly trudged to the opposing bed and sat down. His face was grim.

"That hat doesn't really do you justice, you know. It doesn't even cover your face properly." C.C. remarked.

"Pestering me even at a time like this, are you? You truly are a witch." Lelouch replied in a saddened tone. He leaned forward, lost in his thoughts.

C.C. sat up from her position and looked at the tragic prince. He had lost everything dear to him and now he was going through with the Zero Requiem...C.C. was surprised to feel a sudden pain in her own heart as well. What was this aching feeling that she had forgotten long ago?

C.C. stood up and kneeled before Lelouch, placing her right hand against his cold cheek. "I'm sorry." She said in a gentle tone.

Lelouch was a little surprised at the witch's sudden action, but he lightly placed his hand on hers in return – holding it against his cheek. It was so warm to the touch. He had forgotten the feeling of warmth and this sudden surge of energy pained yet soothed him at the same time. A swarm of torn emotions began to well up inside of him. He firmly grasped her hand with trembling fingers and held it tight against the side of his face. He was a broken man, a completely broken man. He felt so empty – so dead and lifeless inside that he couldn't stand it any longer. This warm touch, the touch of a witch, such a small act of kindness was too much for him. He wanted to be comforted, to be loved, to be accepted by someone in this world – even though he was unworthy of such a thing.

Lelouch looked into the deep golden well of her eyes and said in a low voice, "You said that the power of Geass would lead me to a life of solitude. You were right. I have lost everything dear to me and those who are left have betrayed me and wish me dead. I understand and fully accept the fact that these are the consequences of my actions, but I have to admit…" Lelouch lowered their linked hands and placed his other hand on top of C.C.'s slender fingers. "It is a lonely and cruel world, isn't it, C.C? That is why I have to change it – even if it means the cost of my own life."

At those words, C.C. pulled her hand away and turned her gaze from his own. Lelouch tried to ignore the gesture and began to speak once again - looking down at the floor the entire time. "But even though the fate of Geass may be true in most respects, it is not entirely correct."

C.C. looked up at him with a curious look on her face. It was subtle, but it was there.

Lelouch continued. "Through everything I have been through you're the only person who has stood by my side and never faltered. Though your reasons may have been selfish at first, I can't deny the fact that you're still here even though your wish had never been granted."

C.C. replied with a mask of indifference, "But I kept the truth from you didn't I? The truth about Lady Marianne. Much bloodshed could have been avoided if I had only told you what you wanted to know."

Lelouch lightly scoffed and folded his hands together. "It doesn't matter now. The point is that – is that…" He paused for a moment. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you're the only person I can turn to – the only one in the world who I can trust."

C.C.'s eyes grew wide at his words. "What do you mean by that? You're not making any sense, Lelouch."

Lelouch smiled sadly. "I guess I'm not, am I?"

C.C. looked down at Lelouch's folded hands – they were shaking. She looked up at him and saw the distraught and pained face of a man who felt so very alone in the world. She knew that look better than anyone.

C.C. stood up and sat next to the prince – cradling his head in her arms. He seemed so fragile - as if a slight touch would completely shatter him. She brought her lips close to his ear and said, "It's all right, Lelouch. I promise you, I won't ever leave your side."

Lelouch gritted his teeth in anguish as he tightly clung to her. A lone tear trickled down his cheek.

C.C. gently stroked his hair and said in a soft and comforting voice, "I'm here."

Lelouch sat up slightly without letting her go and said in a voice that was barely audible, "I need you, _." He had said her real name.

C.C.'s eyes grew wide as Lelouch brought his lips to hers. She did not struggle – she did not resist. She melted. Her heart was finally beginning to unlock after years of imprisonment. Lelouch gently pinned her against the bed and covered her body with his own. Their breaths grew short. He kissed her with a passion and tangled his hands through her green hair.

* * *

Lelouch sat up with a start. He eyes were wild as he gasped for breath. He looked around the room. The morning light was beginning to shine through the small openings of the window blinds. Patches of sunlight were spread throughout the hotel room. Lelouch leaned forward and closed his eyes, his right hand supporting his head. It was just a dream – a nightmare. He gritted his teeth together in annoyance. He should be used to such dreams by now. After all, he experienced nothing short of nightmares even in his waking hours.

Lelouch turned to his right to see a naked C.C. by his side – tightly wrapping the covers closer to herself. He leaned back against the headboard and sighed. He never expected last night to turn out the way it did, but then again such occasions often happen unexpectedly. No matter, he felt…glad. No, that wasn't the correct term. He felt a sense of wholeness – completeness. He was still an empty shell of a man, but he felt stronger and refreshed. What he said last night was true. He needed her – more than anything.

Lelouch's thoughts were interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. He looked up in a slight panic and then narrowed his eyes – ready for any intruders to break in. He then heard a muffled voice from the other side.

"Hey, Lelouch. It's me, Suzaku. You're supposed to be up by now. It's almost 8:30." Suzaku said in an annoyed tone of voice.

Lelouch let out a sigh of relief, but that did not last for long. His body suddenly went frozen solid when he realized…

_"Damn it, Suzaku! He better not have heard us last night. Are these walls sound proof? They look rather thin and he's only right next door. Either way he can't see us like this. Damn that bastard."_

"Lelouch, let me in." Suzaku said firmly.

"Just a minute!" Lelouch replied in a slightly harsher tone than he intended. He turned to C.C. and shook her awake. "Hey, hurry up and get dressed. Suzaku is outside."

C.C. pulled the covers up over her head and muttered, "So? What's the big deal? Just let him in."

Lelouch glared at the witch beside him. "Damn it!"

He quickly put on his clothes and opened the door just enough to let himself out into the hallway. He quickly turned back into his calm and cunning persona.

Suzaku glared at the man before him, the man formerly known as Zero. "You said we'd be leaving at 8:45."

Lelouch replied, "Sorry about that. I forgot to set the alarm last night. Let's head downstairs first and make preparations to leave. C.C. will be with us shortly. You know how she oversleeps."

Lelouch turned to head down the hallway, all the while adjusting his clumsy hat in an attempt to hide his face. C.C. was right. It really didn't do him justice. Suzaku stared at Lelouch for a moment and then looked back at the closed door with knowing in his eyes. He quietly muttered under his breath. "Uh-huh, sure."

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please don't forget to review it! Your opinions are greatly appreciated.**


	4. Waiting for the Inevitable

**Waiting for the Inevitable**

* * *

**Hi everyone! I cannot express how deeply sorry I am for abandoning this story for so long. I know it's been forever and it's very unfair of me to not keep up with this story. Once again it's another "short but sweet" chapter, but I hope it's worth the wait so please enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: Once again I do not own Code Geass or any of its characters. The line marked with an (*) asterisk is a direct reference from the anime.**

**Setting: The two month period before the Zero Requiem.**

* * *

Lelouch gazed out at the wide expanse of green that lay before him. He breathed in the scent of mulberry and lilac and his eyes felt slightly heavy at the familiar scent. A small stream wound its way through the garden and a myriad of flowers fluttered in the warm breeze with pockets of marble statues dotting the grounds. It was where he and Nunally had spent their carefree childhood together. It had now been a week after the destruction of Damacles and the end of his brother Schneizel. Lelouch's so-called tyranny had only just begun. The Zero Requiem was slowly coming full circle…but there was still time. Time for all the pieces to fall into place.

Against his will, an image of his mother flashed through his mind. He gritted his teeth in annoyance at the very thought of her now. This one thought led to a multitude of unwanted memories. Not even his own mother was what she had seemed. Everyone he had ever cared about was either dead or had betrayed him. Well, Suzaku had come around, but it wasn't for him in the least. If he hadn't convinced him to be a part of the Requiem, Suzaku would have been quite content to have done away with his former best friend by now. The only one who had ever stayed true, never once faltered or abandoned allegiance, was –

His thoughts were interrupted by a dark silhouette down the length of the patio. The form was slightly hidden behind a thin marble column, but he knew those features better than anyone.

"So it seems you've finally decided to try on the dress I had specially tailored for you." Lelouch said in an airy tone as he approached the green-haired beauty.

C.C. was wearing an exquisitely tailored black dress made for a queen. Hemmed with white lace on the edges and fitted with glistening jewels that matched Lelouch's own gems, C.C. was a sight to see. As Lelouch pleasingly eyed C.C. up and down, he noticed her twirling a piece of ribbon on her dress. He cocked his head slightly, thinking the gesture rather cute.

Lelouch added, "You have the air of a true empress now. You've come a long way from your days as a witch."

C.C. smiled playfully, "Well I suppose it does fit nicely. And whoever said I was your empress?"

Lelouch smirked, "Well I only assumed of course, but if you don't find the title fitting then I apologize – unwillingly, of course."

C.C. shook her head. There was a glint in her eyes as she replied, "I actually enjoy the term, "empress". Now you can wait on me and order me pizza at my beck and call."

Lelouch sighed, slightly annoyed, "You're a finicky one, aren't you? And you've been ordering endless boxes of pizza ever since we moved in to the palace."

"Actually I thought it'd be fun to order you around a bit." C.C. said playfully.

Frowning, Lelouch replied, "Don't you do enough of that already?"

C.C. stuck her nose up in the air ever so slightly, "Well apparently not enough to get that smug look off your face."

Emperor Lelouch just shook his head at the comment and they both leaned against the marble railing, staring out at the garden before them. After a moment of silence, C.C. said with a hint of sadness,

"How long are we going to play this game, Lelouch?"

Lelouch smiled meekly, almost guiltily, knowing exactly what she meant.

"As long as we can." He said in a tone quieter than intended.

The immortal empress shifted her gaze and stared deep into his purple irises, saying in a choked voice, "Why do I bother opening up to you, letting you fool me into thinking that this feeling – this life that we have will last? How can I keep giving myself to you when I know there is no hope for the future?"

With those words, tears welled up in her eyes. Lelouch, surprised at the sudden emotion C.C. was displaying, reached for her hand and squeezed it tight. Her eyes closed and a tear escaped and trickled down both sides of her now rosy cheeks. Lelouch could feel a lump forming in his throat, but he forced himself to speak.

"I wish…I wish it didn't have to end like this." He gripped her fragile hand even tighter. "I thought I was satisfied with the path that I have laid out before me, but after our first night together, and all the days and nights since then, I'm afraid I've grown quite selfish."

C.C. looked up at him, a curious look in her pained eyes.

"I don't want to die, C.C." His voice cracked for a moment. "I don't want to leave you here alone, after I made you a promise I knew I could never keep…a promise to make you smile.* And now - ", C.C.'s tears were now dripping onto the marble, "all I've done is made you cry."

She wiped her eyes and regained her composure, "You've given me much more. With you, Lelouch, I've cried, I've laughed, smiled, and even learned to love. Don't regret anything, Lelouch. Not now."

C.C. turned and buried her head in his chest. Lelouch held her close, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

Lelouch stroked her hair saying, "To think that the heartless witch has finally broken free to become an angel. Even in all the darkness, you've always been my one light. You're truly an angel, C.C. – the brightest."

He kissed her hair as they made their way back inside, never once letting go of each other.

* * *

Lelouch awoke the next morning to the smell of pizza wafting through his nostrils. He slowly sat up, feeling something on top of him as he moved. He opened his eyes to find C.C. sitting on top of him, casually eating yet another piece of pizza. She was wearing one of his dress shirts again. He looked to his left to find an almost empty pizza box on the bed. There was just one slice left. Lelouch gave her a look and C.C. replied with a full mouth of pizza,

"Now don't give me any, 'You're supposed to be eating something light and healthy in the morning'." She nodded in the direction of the pizza box, "I saved you a slice. Well, I was going to eat it if you didn't wake up, but you did so it's yours."

Lelouch sat there smiling at her, admiring how the morning sunlight danced on her beaming eyes.

"What?" She asked after taking another bite.

Lelouch chuckled, "You're cute when you eat with your mouth full."

"Hmph, I'm always cute." She retorted as she watched him pick up his slice, eyeing the cheesy goodness the whole time.

Lelouch noticed the look. "C.C., sometimes I wonder about you and your obsession with this stuff."

He took his first bite, chewing it slowly. It really was good, he couldn't deny that. Suddenly C.C. pressed her lips against his, wedging her tongue into his mouth as he quickly swallowed the bite, almost choking in the process. After a few moments of passionate enjoyment, C.C. pulled away.

She wiped her mouth and said with a hint of a smile, "Your mouth tastes like pizza."

Lelouch shook his head at her playfully and said, "Tell me truthfully, are you more into pizza than you are into me? Pick one or the other."

"You." She said without a second thought, picking at the leftover crumbs that were scattered in the box.

He looked at her with a surprised expression. He honestly wasn't expecting that answer. Sad, but true.

C.C. stretched and with a big yawn collapsed on Lelouch's chest and closed her eyes. Her breathing was steady as she lay there huddled on top of him. Lelouch wrapped his arm around her and looked out the window.

Maybe he wasn't really shocked at her response. Just from her presence, he knew she cared more than anything. And that…was what made leaving painful. He gazed at C.C. who was already fast asleep. There was a content smile on her lips. He hoped that somehow, that smile of hers that he loved so much, would never vanish.

* * *

**Thank you all so much for sticking with me after all this time and once again I am so sorry for the terrible delay. Please review. I always love to hear feedback. :)**


End file.
